CostBy County

Cost of Living in Laurens County, South Carolina

$880/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$170,600
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$880/mo
11% below state average
Median Home Value
$170,600
49% below national
Census GRAPI
27.8%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Laurens County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Laurens County$880/mo
South Carolina Average$985/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$880/mo
Median Gross Rent
$170,600
Median Home Value
$678/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
27.8%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Laurens County ranks #1,185 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 38%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Laurens County Official GRAPI Measured at 27.8 Percent

The official ACS B25071 gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) in Laurens County was 27.8%. This metric is 2.7 percentage points below the South Carolina unweighted county mean of 30.5%. The median gross rent was estimated at $880 per month, which is lower than the state unweighted county mean of $985. Among homeowners, median selected monthly owner costs were $678, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $791. The median home value was $170,600, while the state unweighted county mean was $199,733. Renter-household median income for the period was $38,667. These housing statistics are based on the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates, specifically tables B25064, B25071, B25077, B25088, and B25119. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Laurens County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 27.8% of renter household income in Laurens County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $880 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $678. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $35,200 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The South Carolina unweighted mean of county median rents is $985 per month. Laurens County's $880 median is 10.6% below that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Laurens County

$

Rent Burden

18.3%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,345

per month

Owner Cost Burden

14.1%

of gross income

The median home in Laurens County may be a stretch

Median home value is $170,600. Estimated monthly cost: $1,362 vs. your max of $1,345.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income18.3%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $57,623Needed: $35,200
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $57,623Needed: $29,057
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $57,623Needed: $39,703

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Laurens County, South Carolina?
Laurens County, South Carolina has a median monthly rent of $880/mo and a median home value of $170,600. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 27.8% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Laurens County?
The median gross rent in Laurens County is $880/mo. This is 11% below state average for South Carolina.
Is Laurens County affordable?
Laurens County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 27.8%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Laurens County's rent compare to the state average?
Laurens County's median rent of $880/mo is 11% below state average of $985/mo for South Carolina.
What is the median home value in Laurens County?
The median home value in Laurens County, South Carolina is $170,600. This is 49% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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